Electrical distribution system.



P. H. THOMAS.

ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY6,. 1903.

1 ,1 1 5,456, Patented 0011.27, 1914.

Wz'inesses: [live/liar UNITED STATES Pi'IENT OEEIoE.

PERCY H. THOMAS, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, To coornn HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, or HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PERCY H. THOMAS,

' a citizen of the United States, and resident tribution Systems,

complished will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1 and 2, are diagrams of different organizations of electric circuits to which my invention may be applied.

In the drawings, 1 and 2 represent the mains of an alternating current supply system connected with a source of single phase alternating current. The invention readily admits of being applied to alternating current supply systems of any number of phases, but for simplicity I have illustrated it in connection with a single phase system of supply.

The main .conductors of the receiving circuit are shown at 3 and 4, and between the supply mains and the receiving mains I interpose a vapor converter, 5, which permits 1 current to flow in the direction indicated by the-arrow and practically prevents the flow of current in the opposite direction.

In shuntacross the Suppl mains, I place a similar converter, 6. T e direction of flow is indicated by the arrow in this instance also.

Between the receiving mains, I have illustrated several shunt circuits one of which includes a magnet, 7, another includes a magnet, 8, and a motor, 9, while a third inclu es a magnet, 10, and 9; Cooper Hewitt lamp 11. It will beaunderstood'that other translating devices besides the motor 9 or the lamp 11, may be includetl'in these shunts, and that still other shunt circuits may be added to those appearing in the il1ustra Specification of Letters Patent.

'Original application filed March 5, 1903, Serial No. 146,282. Divided and this Serial No. 155,927.

Patented Oct. 27,1914. application filed Kay 6,

tion. In connection with the receiving circuit, however, one or more electro-magnets should be employed, for reasons which will presently appear. For example, it is known that when the circuit of an electromagnct is interrupted, the energy stored in the coils of the magnet tends to discharge itself in the same direction as that of the original flow. Thus, under the conditions illustrated in Fig. 1, the various translating devices in the receiving circuit are assumed to be so adjusted with relation to the conditions of supply that when a current of high potential is supplied by the feeding circuit, the several translating devices will be operated for whatever purposes may be found desirable. This statement applies to the magnets 7, 8 and 10, as well as to the other translating devices 9 and 11.

During the operation of the translating devices currents of a single direction will pass through the receiving circuit returning by way of the vapor converter 5. Should the voltage of the supply circuit momentarily fall below a predetermined amount, the receiving circuit would under ordinary conditions be temporarily deprived of adequate current supply.

The tendency of the magnets 7 8v and 10, however, is to compensate forthe momentary'drop in the supply circuit by sending energy in the original direction through the receiving mains 3 and 4, by way of the converter 6. The action of the magnet 7 would simply be such as to supply an easy means of self-dischargqwhile the action of the magnets 8 and 10, would contribute to maintaining energy in the translating devices 9 and 11, respectively, until the supply circuit is again in condition to deliver the requisite voltage for operating the translating devices in the receiving circuit.

Referring to Fig. 2, the conditions here illustrated are essentially the same as those shown in Fig. 1, except that one of the receiving mains is connected to each supply main through a converter which transmits energy in one direction, and the other receiving main is connected to each supply main through a converter transmitting energy in the opposite direction. These converters may be called positive devices-when ing the operation in this system is illustrated at 14, and is included in one of the.

receivin circuit mains, as 3. Various translating devices appear at 15 and 16. These may be, respectively, a lamp and a motor, or they may be any other suitable translating devices.

"In the system of Fig. 2 both waves of the alternating current are utilized, but the fiow of current in the receiving circuit is always in the same direction. a

On a momentary fall of potential in the supply circuit such as would cause a cessation of flow through the converters, the in adequate potential of the supply circuit will be temporarily reinforced by the discharged energy from the magnet 14, thus creating,

under the proper conditions, a flow through a local circuit including the several converters and the translating devices in the receivin circuit.

In 0th systems the expenditure of energy in maintaining the flow past a momentary drop of potential is very slight, consisting inutilizing the energy stored up in the magnet coils during the previous operation of 'the system.

In the absence of the, converter system illustrated herein, the magnet or magnets would tend to produce the same efi'ect as herein described, but such tendency would be'absorbed by the generator without creating such conditions as would steady the operation- 0f the distributin system.

It will be understood t at the inductance ref-" ithe consumption circuit itself, taken in Y "of -va-por converters, may be suilicient to connection with the described arrangement 'steady 'theoperation of the system without jthe employment of special magnets for that izable re-constructing cathode, said rectifier purpose. I

I --It will also be understood that the system i-he'rein claimed is intended to cover all the usesto which it is applicable whether for steadying the operation of a distribution system asdescribed'or for such other purposes as that. I

.Thisapp'lication is a division of my application filed March 5, 1903, Serial Number I claim-as my invention:

"1. The combination with anelectric recoming-circuittraversed by a pulsating curcharge of energy only at periods of decreas ing current, the said shunt COHILGQtlOIl. con

'taining a vapor converter which permits a flow of current in one direction only.

The combination-with a suitabiegalteix hating supply, means for producingj direct current from said supply,v and, receiving mains therefor, of a translating device, a shunt connection across said direct current mains around said translating device, the circuit of said translating device containing an inductance. and the said shunt connection' containing a device which permits a "flow of current in one direction only, where-' by the inductance of the circuit containing the translating device causes a discharge of accumulated energy mainly through the shunt connection. 7

3. In a system of electrical distribution, an alternating supply circuit, a receiving circuit, and a rectifier between said circuits, and a circuit across said receiving circuit, a vapor device having the characteristic of permitting a flow of current in one direction only in .said cross circuit, and means for storing and discharging energy in the receiving circuit during the normal operation of the system, whereby energy stored in said mains is discharged mainly through said cross circuit and through at least a part of the receiving circuit.

4. In a system of electrical distribution,

for storing and discharging energy .in the receiving circuit during the normal operation of the system, and a shunt connection and direct current mains, of a vapor rectifier a supply circuit, a receiving circuit, means comprising an exhausted container, and

electrodes therein, one of which is a vapor- 6. The combination"with' a single phase alternating source and a pair of direct current receiving mains supplying translating devices and an inductance device in the circuits of said devices, of a mercury vapor rectifier connected between said'source and said mains in combination with a receiving device connected across said direct current mains having the property of passing cursaid devices being a mercury vapor rectifier having the property of passing current in one direction only.

Signed at New York, in the county of 15 New York and State of New York, this 28th day of April, A. D. 1903.

PERCY H. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

WM. H. CAPEL, GEORGE H. STOGKBRIDGE. 

